Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-09-03
AN EXPRESS TRUST,
One Said tn be Oontempla-
ted by More of the Oar
rytng Companies.
The American, Adams and United
Ste es /, the PooI---On'y n
Rival Left in the Field.

NEW YoRx, Sept. Att is reported that
the result of the purchase of the Baiti-
more g. Ohio express by the United States
company will be the formation of an e1-
press trust, or something tantamount
thereto, between the three great, wealthy
| express corporations-ths American, the
! Adams, and United States. Now the
Baltimore and Ohio has been gobbled up
the only guerilla rival is the Erie, and
| those on the inside say thsy believe that
| the purchase OF the Erie by one of the big
companies is only a question of a few
Gays. The purchase will probably not
be made public, but shippers will know
| all about it from a stlffening OF rates to
New York. The Erie at present Is, it is
claimed by its competitors, cutting rates
much below a paying basis, its rates In
some instances being lower han regular
| freight rates. 1t has cut car rates to
New York to 800 a car, and it is carry
ing fruit at 90 cents per 100. The three
big companies have always worked har-
| moniously aud have been united In a
policy. to keep up rates and freeze smaller
competitors out of the field. The Balti-
more & Ohio had been their biggest foe,
n had been the special rival of the Adj
ans. The Adams had exclusive control
of Philadelphia until the Baltimore &
Ohio got its line built to that point. The
United. States is understood to have
played a smart game, but there was no
expectation that any fight between the
Adams and the United States will result
therefrom. The United States was never
south before. BY this purchase it OBJ
tains exclusive control of Virginia, West
Virginia, and a large part of Ohio. The
l linoo snn1nlaI In tho r,1rphoco - polfs-
more & Ohio proper, 1904 miles; the
| Queen & Crescent route Cincinnati, New
Orleans & Texas Pacitic). Ito miles;
the Cincinnati, Hamilton b Dayton sys-
tenn, 400 miles; the Cincinnati, washing
ton q Baltimore, 272 miles; the Rich
mond & Allegheny, 276 ~miles-total, g.
| Oil miles.
The sale includes, first and most inn
portant, the good will, and, second, the
plant and working appliances, including
teams, wagons, fixtures, etc, with all
the company's franchises and interest in
the business. The Baltimore & Ohio ex-
press company has customers in Chicago
whose bills average over $50, 600 each
year. Probably the most important
branch of the business between Chicago
and the east was the oyster trade from
Baltimore, the Baltimore g. Ohio having
almost a monopoly in this line. The
United States company, one of the Balti-
more 81 Ohio officials estimates, will
make at least $500, 900 a year out of the
purchase. The Baltimore 81 Ohio .ex.
press was started Sept. 1, 1877, and is
said to have made $500, 900 a year.
There will be no immediate amalgama.
hon OF the business of the two compan-
les, the Baltimore & Ohio officials being
instructed to continue work as usual.
TO prevent any disorganization of bust
ness on either line the work of amalga-
nation must of course be gradual and
may not be completed until the end OF
the year.